


So Long Gideon Walker

by TSUAggie



Category: Lonesome Dove (US)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 17:09:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6667192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSUAggie/pseuds/TSUAggie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call are planning to drive a herd of Mustangs from Texas to Montana. Agostina Vega is trying to find the Captains and Gideon Walker has been shot and killed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Long Gideon Walker

**Author's Note:**

> A fix-it in which Gus lives to take part in Return to Lonesome Dove. I killed off Gideon Walker and replaced his part in the canon with Gus.

Woodrow and Gus have just went to San Antonio, Texas in search of an old friend to help them drive a herd of Mustangs back to their ranch in Montana. What they find is that their friend, Gideon, has been shot and killed by the vengeful husband of one of Gideon’s mistresses.   
“This is a different world we live in Augustus,” says Woodrow. Gus replies, “Not a different world, just different times. See I always say that a man’s like a river, you’ve got to keep on flowing where the force of nature takes you.” “He was a good man,” Woodrow says as he raises his glass, “To Ranger Gideon Walker.” “To the sunny slopes of long ago.”  
Meanwhile at the Hat Creek Ranch in Montana, Newt is trying to get keep everything under control. Crops need planted, fences need built, and everyone is on a short fuse. Jasper spouts, “I didn’t drive all the way to Montana to be no sod buster. I’m a top hand.” One of the other cowboys replies, “You ain’t doing nothing the rest of us ain’t doin’.” “You don’t see Newt swingin’ no hammer now do you.” Pea Eye steps in and says, “Newt’s range boss, the captain said so.” Jasper was about to mouth something back when they hear gunshots in the distance. “Indians?” asks Pea Eye. Newt hollers, “Grab your horses and guns, let’s go!” They saddle up and head towards the shots.   
When they crest the hill, they see cattle rustlers in the valley firing at a young woman. They drive off the rustlers and see that the rustlers were changing cattle brands. Newt rides up to where the young woman was hiding. “Are you okay?” Newt asks. She replies, “Yeah, I’m fine, just get me home.” “Well where’s home?” “Kilmworth,” she replies.  
Newt returns the young woman home, and is standing in the living room. The owner of the ranch, Gregor Dunnigan, comes down to meet him. “Mr. Dobbs, my name is Gregor Dunnigan.” “Howdy Mr. Dunnigan, most people just call me Newt.” “Well Newt, what do you drink?” “I don’t much really.” Gregor walks across the room, and opens a bottle of scotch. “Newt, I was born lucky, but what you did today is one of the bigger pieces of luck that I’ve ever had.” “Well sir we just heard the shots.” “Nonsense, you rode to those shots. Too many thieving bastards are making their way into Montana.” Gregor raises his glass, “Scotch, smells like heaven and tastes like honey. Cheers.” Newt takes a drink and gets a look of pain and disgust on his face. “What’s the matter?” asks Gregor. “Well I ain’t never tasted no honey like that before. I think the bees left their stingers in it.” The maid enters the room and says, “Mr. Dunnigan, Ferris wants to see the boy.” Newt says, “I really should be getting back to the outfit.” “No no, not without seeing Ferris first,” replies Gregor. They go upstairs and Gregor says, “Well I know that Ferris would like to have a word with you, so I’ll go check on dinner.” He leaves the room and Newt says, “Well ma’am I’m glad to see you’re doing better.” “Well thank you Newt, but its Ferris,” she replies. “Yes ma’am, I mean Ferris ma’am.” “Have you ever felt a feather bed before?” “Feathers?” Newt says, “Well no.” “Come over here and sit down then.” Newt walks over and plops down on the side of the bed, “Golly that’s soft!” “It’s amazing isn’t it?” Gregor walks in and asks, “Who’s ready for dinner?” Newt jumps and with a nervous look in his eyes replies, “I need to get riding.” “Nonsense Newt, if you think we’ll let you leave on an empty stomach than you don’t know me, and you certainly don’t know my wife.”  
Back in Texas, Woodrow and Gus ride up on a ledge overlooking the herd of Mustangs they plan to drive to Montana. “Reminds me of the first time we found this valley,” exclaims Augustus, “We was running as free as they are back then, sowing our oats where we pleased.” “You was anyway I’m sure,” says Woodrow, “That was on our way back from that trouble down south with that girl you was so stuck on. What was her name?” “Serena Vega,” replies Gus, “She was as wild as any filly in that herd.” “That was any girl you were stuck on Augustus.” Gus just gets that same old grin on his face that he always does and says, “So why do you want to do this anyways Woodrow. It ain’t going to be no easy task.” “Ain’t nothing in this life worth doing that’s easy. And I suppose it’s all them graves, a man should surely leave more behind than a few old boards hammered in the dirt.” “What is it exactly you plan on leaving behind Woodrow?” “A working stock, finer than any ever seen.” “And you see that down in that herd do you?” “No, what I see ain’t been invented yet. If you take one of those short footed little fireballs down there, mix it with some Spanish stock, and throw in some of that racing breed out of England they’ve been raising in Kentucky, then there you’ve got it. Only problem is, we’ve got the Mustangs and can get the Spanish stock, but we’re a long way from Kentucky.” Gus gets a real bright look in his eyes and replies, “Oh don’t you worry Woodrow, I know where we can get those race horses.” “And how the hell do you plan on that?” “We will just swing by Nebraska and see Ms. Clara Allen.” “Now Gus you know she don’t take kindly to me, what in your right mind makes you think she would sell to me.” “It ain’t you she’ll be selling to,” Gus smooths down his mustache, stares down at the herd and replies, “She never could resist my charm.” “I suppose that may just work.” “Now here’s my next question, how are we going to push all these Mustangs up to Montana?” “Don’t you worry Augustus, I’ve got just the man for that.”  
Woodrow rides up on a small rundown ranch, where a man is in a round pen breaking a horse. Woodrow dismounts his horse and walks over to the pen. The man hops down from the little mare he was breaking and walks over to Woodrow. “Boy, I’m getting a little old for that,” says Isom. Woodrow says, “Isom, you haven’t changed at all.” “Captain Call,” Isom replies with a smile on his face, “come on, let’s go get us some coffee.” The friends walk to the house hugging and laughing the whole way.  
They get a bit of lunch and some coffee, and Woodrow begins writing a telegram. “Who you writing that telegram for Woodrow?” asks Isom. “Newt,” replies Woodrow. Isom’s wife, Sarah, asks, “Oh how is young Newt?” Woodrow answers, “He’s in Montana on the ranch. I left him in charge, so I assume all is well. I’m telling him to meet me at Clara Allen’s in Ogalla.. How do you spell Ogallala?” Isom chuckles and says, “I don’t, Sarah?” “Well it’s O, G..” Sarah stops and they all laugh. Woodrow explains, “I plan on Newt getting me a good price on some ponies. Clara Allen favors the boy. At least she has in the past. How much they charge for these telegrams?” Sarah responds, “They charge by the word don’t they?” “By the word?” gasps Woodrow. He looks down at his message and shortens it drastically. Isom says, “So, Mustang Valley huh? Gonna push that herd all the way up to Montana?” Woodrow replies, “Well that’s the plan. What you think about that?” “That could be done,” explains Isom, “Herd of Mustangs can be a little tricky though.” “Augustus, right now is picking up a trail crew.” Sarah looks at Isom and asks, “What about your brother Isaac? Now he’s the one.” Woodrow too looks at Isom and mentions, “I sure was hoping you would ram rod this operation.” Sarah gets an astonished look on her face. “But it is dangerous work driving through the nations, but I’ll be with you til Nebraska probably,” continues Woodrow. “You want me to leave all of this here for steady work and steady wages,” asks Isom. He looks at his wife who is already looking back at him. They burst into laughter. Sarah asks, “What’s Montana like Captain?” Woodrow responds, “Well it’s pretty as your smile ma’am.” Sarah and Isom laugh again. Isom looks and Sarah and says, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to go on up there and see.”  
Meanwhile, Augustus is trying to gather up a group of men to drive the herd. He has a small group in the stables, looking them over closely. “Well I’d like to thank you boys for showing up,” he pauses for a second, “but I’m sorry, I need more experience.” The majority of the men walk off, but a few stay. One says, “Mister, we been pushing cows since we could set a saddle.” Gus replies, “Well we’re driving wild horses this time.” The young man asks, “Just how much experience you need?” “I’m looking for some other qualities as well.” Meanwhile a young woman is entering the stables behind the group of men. Another man says, “We shoot as good as we ride.” Gus answers, “I don’t doubt that.” He then turns to walk away. The young man that talked first grabs him by the shoulder and spins him around. “Don’t you come looking down your nose at us.” Gus calmly says, “This won’t get you nowhere son.” The man replies, “I ain’t your son. I ain’t no damn farm boy that’s gonna tuck his tail and slink off neither.” “I meant no offense, and I’ll take none as long as you let me by you and your friend.” Gus starts to walk away. “You ain’t nothing but a coward,” says the young man. Gus stops, turns around, pulls out his pistol and hits the boy in the nose with the butt of it. He looks at the other man, kicks his feet out from under him, and then kicks him square in jaw knocking him out. He then turns back to the first man, flips him a coin and says, “Here I’ll buy you that drink anyways.” He walks out of the stables and the young woman follows him out.  
Augustus begins to mount his horse when the woman walks up and says, “Those men deserved what they got.” Gus replies, “I wish I would’ve handled that different, I lost my temper.” She asks, “You are going to Montana?” “Yes ma’am.” “With horses?” “That’s right,” answers Gus. “You and Captain McCrae had great success in Montana,” she explains. “Captain McCrae?” asks Gus. At this point he is very interested to find out who this woman is, and what she wants. “Si, I hear how you drove all those cattle to Montana, and started a ranch,” she says, “Everybody has. Now you need men, and I have men who need work.” “Where’s that?” asks Gus. She answers, “Just across the river.” “Mexicans?” “A good vaquero is worth two of your Texas cowboys,” she exclaims, “Better with horses, everybody knows that too, Captain Call.” The thought of this woman’s mistake makes Gus chuckle. He says, “Well I’ll give you one thing, you are right about good vaqueros. But you’ve got one thing wrong.” “What is that?” she asks. Gus replies, “I ain’t Woodrow.” “They said Captain Call was hiring men.” “Well I work with Captain Call,” answers Gus. “Where is he?” she asks. “Why?” She smiles and says, “It doesn’t matter.” She turns and begins mounting her horse when Gus asks, “You got a name senorita?” She just smiles and replies, “Agostina.” She turns her horse and begins to ride away. She looks back and asks, “You coming?” Augustus sets there for a second trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar. He began to follow her, and then it dawned on him. The young woman he was so intrigued by was the daughter of Serena Vega. She was in fact his daughter.


End file.
